TRP: Goro and Sam (Hangover Buddies)
Day 380, the inn in Freeport. Goro nabbed his favorite table in the dining room -- a booth in the back, with a nice view of the whole place. Truth be told he'd been getting a little sick of the seafood stew, but after a couple days marooned with the goddamn Wells sisters, he was dying for something simple and familiar. He ordered himself a bowl, and a beer too, since he was trying to learn how to drink better. IZZY Across the room, someone was slumped over a table, face planted on his crossed arms. He stirred a bit, lifting his head and looking around blearily, settling on Goro. Sam stared at Goro pitifully for a long moment. Then he shoved himself up, shambled over, and collapsed into the booth next to Goro -- leaving a little bit of a buffer but leaning half towards him and half into the table. He smelled a bit singed, and of sweat, and was pale with red eyes. He didn't say anything -- just stared at the table and shifted a bit. LINA Goro brightened, at first, seeing Sam approach -- but just as quickly, he got worried. "The heck chewed you up and spat you out?" he asked when Sam sat next to him. He scooted tentatively closer. Sam looked like he needed a hug, at the very least. IZZY Sam sighed in obvious relief and slumped heavily into Goro. LINA Goro mmphed in surprise and put his arms around Sam. "Um, you okay? You hurt?" IZZY He shook his head. "Through the worst of it," he mumbled. LINA "What happened?" Goro pulled back, almost instinctively, and started probing Sam one-handed to check for injury. IZZY "White Sky." It was muffled against Goro's shoulder, him leaning further in as Goro pulled away. He straightened up, though, quickly adding, "It wasn't my fault," already defensive. LINA Goro gave up probing and pulled Sam close to him again. "Whose fault was it? I'll kill 'em." IZZY He relaxed again. "Some fucking ... dealer in the port. I don't know. It was cut with something else, I guess." He gave another sigh, settling against Goro. LINA "Ah, yeah. I saw that shit a lot when I was working at the abbey." Goro tightened his hold, scowling. "They kill people when they do that. You better remember who it was, 'cause I really am gonna fucking take 'em down." IZZY Sam laughed weakly. "I won't, but ... thanks." LINA "Bah." Maybe Goro could track the guy down himself, then. Pretend to be on the hunt for White Sky. It'd have to wait for another day, though. "You said you're through the worst of it? Guess you must be, or you wouldn't be here talking to me." IZZY He nodded. "Mishka stayed with me," he said quietly. Sounding embarrassed, he added, "I thought I was. You know. Dying. He said you could bring me back." He straightened again to scrutinize Goro, like he was waiting for answer without having asked a question. LINA "Yeah. God yeah, I would have. Assuming... y'know, assuming Pride let your soul go, or whatever." IZZY "Oh." Sam didn't look like he knew what to do with this information apart from be pleased. He leaned against Goro again. LINA "Hansel," Goro began, and then had to pause 'cause his mouth was suddenly dry. He swallowed. "Hansel died a few weeks back. The day before my birthday. He was dead for... an hour, maybe two, before I got to him. And I brought him back. So I know I can do it." IZZY Sam was quiet for a couple beats. "Oh," he said again. He shifted to hug Goro to his chest tightly, if awkwardly. "Uh. I'm sorry. That's ... fucking awful. It's good you can, you know. Do that. Still, though. Fuck. Sorry." LINA Goro cleared his throat. "Yeah. Yeah. Anyhow. Point is. Yeah, I got you. If anything ever happens." He grimaced. "But, uh, don't really change the fact that getting fucked up on White Sky fuckin' sucks." IZZY "Yeah," he said weakly. "I should probably ... stop. My usual dealer, though -- it's usually fine." He paused. "But." LINA "You get real desperate to see him," Goro said. "I know." Didn't feel like he needed to add the rest, about how he'd do anything to see Hansel. IZZY "Yeah." He sounded miserable. He pulled out of the hug to slump next to Goro, leaning his shoulder against Goro and slouching down to rest his head on Goro's shoulder. "I thought I was fucking dead, though. He'd be upset if I was dead. It's already happened to him twice. I can't ... do that to him." LINA "God. Yeah. I know the feeling." Goro rested his head against Sam's. "People loving you so you gotta take care of yourself and shit. It's the worst. But it's also great, you know? But still the worst." IZZY "Yeah," Sam mused. "Fucking ... partners. The worst. But the best, too, I think." LINA "Sure fucking is." Goro sighed happily. He gave Sam another squeeze. "You got a room here? Seems like you oughta lie down. In a bed, I mean." IZZY "I can't sleep anyway," he grumbled. "I passed out for a while. I have a room, though, yeah." LINA "Not for sleeping. Just for resting. You did a number on your body." Goro flicked Sam's forehead. IZZY Sam grunted and squinted at Goro over the forehead flick. LINA Goro hastily kissed Sam's forehead in the same spot he'd flicked it. IZZY Sam sunk down a little more, looking kind of embarrassed and baffled. LINA "So yeah? Laying down?" IZZY "I guess." Sam sounded doubtful. "I just didn't really wanna ..." He trailed off, mumbling. LINA "Didn't wanna what?" IZZY He shrugged, hunching his shoulders up. "I don't know. Do you have shit to do?" LINA "Just gotta eat my dinner. You ate yet? Nah, you're probably nauseous, ain't ya." IZZY He shook his head. "Yeah. Not hungry. I had some fucking ... bread. Plain bread." LINA "That's a good start," Goro said, trying to sound encouraging. "Also, Hansel, and my little brother -- well, but he's back in Glimmerton, whatever -- they can make these little druid berries. You know what I'm talking about?" IZZY He shook his head again, squinting. LINA "Ah, well, they're these tiny berries, and if you eat one, you're good for the day. Like, somehow -- well, magic, is how -- they nourish you that good. So they can be good for people who're having a hard time eating." IZZY "Oh." He kept squinting. He seemed more relaxed again, though. "I mean. I'm not going to fucking starve to death. There's ... not any reason to bother anyone about it." LINA "It's not--" Goro started to object, then lost his nerve. He felt weird, and remembered the time he tried everything he could think of to get Hansel to eat, and Hansel just got mad. Goro knew he could be too pushy sometimes. He turned so he was facing the table again more than Sam. "Uh, I ordered myself some stew. S'what I'm waiting on. Is it gonna make you queasy to sit here while I eat?" IZZY "Uh. No, I don't think so." He hesitated. "Do you ... want me to leave you alone?" LINA "No. 'Course not. I just gotta eat. Could get it sent up to your room, even, if you want me to help you up there now." IZZY "Uh." He looked unsure. "I'm ... good. Here." LINA "Oh, good, 'cause there's my food." Goro waved down the waiter, who set the bowl and mug in front of him. He started with a big gulp of beer, then got to work shoveling down his stew. IZZY Sam seemed pleased. He drew his legs up beside him in the booth and and rested against Goro's side, his arms crossed around himself and his eyes closed. LINA It was a weird thought to have, but sometimes Goro liked the fact that Sam had grown up a street kid like him. He hadn't really seen Sam eat much, but he figured that whatever the guy's own habits, he wasn't gonna judge Goro for what he ate, or how much he ate, or how fast he ate. When you were starving, meals were fucking sacred, no matter how ugly it looked while you were eating them. Every homeless kid in Skyport knew that. Goro felt okay with Sam sitting there contentedly, waiting for him to finish. He pushed his empty bowl away and took another swig of beer, but wisely decided not to chug the rest of it right then. "Alright. Now you wanna go somewhere more comfortable?" IZZY Sam shrugged a little with the shoulder not against Goro. "I'm good here," he said awkwardly. LINA Goro shrugged back and took another drink of beer. He put his arms around Sam again. "You been drinking water?" He couldn't help himself. IZZY "Eh." He made a wavy hand gesture, shifting a bit to get more comfortable when Goro put an arm around him. LINA "Helps you feel better faster," Goro offered. IZZY "Hear me out, though," Sam said, and then didn't say anything else. LINA "Yeah?" IZZY He made an iuno sound. "It's work." LINA "Eh? Drinking water?" IZZY He waved vaguely. LINA Goro pulled back to frown at him, concerned. IZZY Sam scowled, looking uncomfortable. "You know. Getting water. From someone. And fucking ... remembering to drink it. It's work." LINA "You want... some help? I'll get the waiter back here." IZZY "I guess," he mumbled. LINA Goro waved the waiter back over. "Hey, can I get a glass of water? Big one. Thanks." The waiter nodded and headed to the kitchen, and Goro stared at Sam. IZZY Sam kept scowling, but at the table instead of at Goro. LINA "What's a matter?" IZZY "Nothing." LINA Goro slumped against the back of the booth, a little hurt Sam wouldn't tell him. IZZY Sam slouched more, too, tightening his arms around himself. He looked embarrassed and sullen, and glanced away when the waiter brought the glass of water over. LINA Goro looked between Sam and the waiter, and when the waiter was walking away again Goro pointed at him and whispered, "Do you know that guy? Did he fuck with you?" IZZY "What?" Sam had slouched himself down so far that he had to squint up at Goro, confused. "No. What?" LINA Shit, Goro had misread something. He waved it off. "Uh, never mind. Anyway, here. Water. No work at all, 'cept getting the glass to your mouth." IZZY "Yeah, I guess," he mumbled. "Easy." LINA "Hey, listen. It's not a big fuckin' deal. You're just a little shy, yeah? Ain't nothing wrong with that." IZZY "No," he objected. He grumbled and pushed himself upright to lean his elbows on the table. "I'm a fucking ... snake oil salesman. I'm charming as fuck. I'm good with people." LINA "Um. Outta practice, maybe?" IZZY He grunted and spun the glass in place, glaring at it. "It's not the people that're the problem. It's just ..." He made another vague, wavy gesture. "Everything." LINA "Oh. Yeah." Goro nodded knowingly. "Everything's a bitch." IZZY Sam nodded emphatically and took a sip of water. He leaned back again, still holding the glass. LINA "That's good. Take little sips. That way you won't get woozy and just pee or puke it all out in ten minutes." Goro punctuated this with a large gulp of his beer. IZZY Sam gave him and his beer a mildly judgmental look. LINA "This is different," Goro said. IZZY "It's beer," Sam agreed. LINA Goro took another drink. IZZY Sam kept staring him down. LINA "You want some?" IZZY "Fuck, no." He fidgeted with his glass. "That's just a lot of beer to fucking chug at once. Are you going to be good?" LINA "I dunno," Goro said honestly. IZZY "Maybe ... don't do it, then," he suggested. LINA "But I'm nervous," Goro argued. IZZY "What? Why?" LINA Goro realized he'd said too much. Ironically, probably 'cause of the beer. "Dunno. I just want you to like me." IZZY Sam hunched up his shoulders a little, like he felt defensive. "I do like you. That's why I fucking came over here." LINA "Ahh, I know, but." Goro stared at the contents of his mug and jiggled his leg. IZZY Sam leaned his shoulder into Goro a bit, again. "Yeah." LINA Goro leaned back into Sam. He lifted the mug to his mouth, then thought the better of it and set it back on the table. IZZY Sam offered him the water. LINA Goro took a small sip and passed it back to him. "You need it more'n I do." IZZY "Yeah," Sam agreed. He didn't look at Goro. "Maybe, though, if I give you water, it'll help you believe that I like you." LINA "Pfffff." IZZY "I'm just saying." LINA "I mean, good fuckin' luck. Some days, I ain't even sure my own fiance likes me." He tried to make it sound like a joke, but his voice came out kind of glum. IZZY Sam was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "You will be," with absolute calm certainty. "You will." LINA Goro almost scoffed again, but he didn't have the heart to. He was happy for Sam, feeling that certainty. Truth be told, Goro felt more sure each day about Hansel's feelings for him. "I hope so," he said. "I hope I'm not always gonna be... this way." IZZY "I mean." LINA "What?" IZZY "I mean, you're still going to be yourself," Sam said. "That's ... probably what Hansel wants, though. If you're already engaged. Hey, did you propose or did he, anyway?" Then he looked embarrassed. "Uh. Just curious." LINA "He did." Goro flushed from the memory. "Surprised me with it while we were in the kitchen, cooking. Night before a big battle. He... didn't want us to go into the fighting without doing that first, I guess." IZZY "Aww. Pff. Aw." Sam scrunched down in his seat, blushing a little. He held his glass close to his lips, like he was half trying to hide his words, and mumbled, "Maybe I'll ... do that. Before he crosses over." LINA Goro straightened up and started wiggling a little, too excited to not. "Ah, you fuckin' should. That's real romantic." IZZY "Maybe." He only looked more embarrassed by Goro's excitement and approval. "I don't know if he even wants to." LINA "Probably. If it would make you happy. You want me to ask him for you? I can pretend it was my own idea, and that way you don't gotta be embarrassed." IZZY "Psshh." This did nothing for Sam's current embarrassment. "God. No. Don't. I'll fucking kill you," he threatened weakly. LINA "Alright, alright." Goro waved off the concern, grinning widely. "Don't worry. I'm a locked fuckin' door." IZZY Sam seemed pacified by that, but was still blushing. "Anyway," he mumbled. "Anyway, I know he'd do it to make me happy. I mean, I don't know if it'd make him happy. For himself. I don't know. You know?" LINA "Yeah. Well, sometimes, it seems like he doesn't understand people too good. He's not as used to our world, and all. So, might feel a little arbitrary to him, but I bet seeing you light up would make it all worth it." IZZY "Yeah, maybe." Sam chewed on his thumbnail thoughtfully. LINA "You sure you don't want me to ask him?" IZZY "No!" LINA Goro snickered. He rearranged his arms more comfortably around Sam and started petting his hair. "God, you're such a me. No, I don't wanna go to a more comfortable place to sit. No, I don't wanna find out if the love of my life wants to marry me. Pfff." IZZY Sam made a grumbly disaffected noise and shifted around, leaning into the hair petting. "Look." LINA Goro widened his eyes at Sam. "I'm lookin'." IZZY He grumbled some more. LINA "Yeah huh. 'S'what I thought." He kept petting, and pulled a relatively neat and fresh braid out of the rat's nest. "How come you don't do all your hair?" IZZY Sam shrugged. "It's too much work." A little embarrassed, again, he added, "He likes it, though. I want it to be long. When he gets here." LINA "Y'know, I bet Mishka could teach you some good hair care shit. You should ask him. He tried to get me to use this thing called, ah, what was it--" Goro snapped his fingers. "Conditioner. He says it's like lotion for your hair. Can you believe that shit?" IZZY He squinted. "Why would anyone need that." Then he admitted, "Mishka's hair is really ... soft and nice, though. Hm." LINA "He spends lots of time on it. I dunno. I been growing my hair out for a few months now, 'cause I like when Hansel plays with it, but goddamn, it gets these real bad tangles. I don't hardly got the patience to deal with it. My ma saw me combing it one day and I was ripping some of the knots out and I swear to god, the blood drained out of her face. And you don't know my ma, but there ain't much that fazes her. You'd'a thought she saw me killing kittens or some shit." IZZY "Yeah, I just don't fucking bother," Sam agreed. "You should try a brush, though. Instead of a comb. It's sort of easier." He frowned. "I mean, I still almost never use it, but." LINA "Huh. A brush?" It hadn't really occurred to Goro that there might be a difference. "I know Mishka's got some. Maybe he'll let me give it a try." IZZY "Yeah. Like." He made a vague gesture, then held up a finger and dug into his satchel for a moment, bringing out a wood-handled hairbrush with stiff black bristles matted with brownish-blondish hair. "Like this. The bristles are fuckin', uh. Fuckin' boar hair. So they're sturdy, or whatever." LINA Goro squinted at it. "Huh." IZZY Sam picked at the matted hair for a second, then gave up and stuffed it back into his bag. LINA "Maybe I oughta just get one, instead of asking to use Mishka's. I dunno. Are hairbrushes--is that like, a personal thing? Is that like asking to use someone's underwear?" IZZY "Uh." Sam squinted. "I don't know. You can use mine," he offered. "I used to share with Corinne and Ronan. I don't care." LINA Goro held out his hand. IZZY Sam fished the brush back out of his bag and frowned over it more seriously to dislodge the hairball. Once it was free, he passed the brush to Goro and regarded the hair like he wasn't sure what to do with it. LINA Goro brushed his hair. He handed the brush back to Sam. "Well. That was fine, I guess." IZZY "I didn't promise a spiritual experience." Sam stashed it back in his bag, sticking the wad of hair in there too. LINA Goro started petting his own hair, frowning. Did feel a little softer than when he just used a comb. "Huh. Well. Anyhow. You in town for long?" IZZY Sam shook his head. "I just came to get you guys, but by the time I could get here you'd already ... gotten yourselves, so. I'm heading back north. Tomorrow, I guess. When I feel better." LINA "Aw," Goro said. IZZY "What?" LINA Goro shrugged. "You're just always so damn busy. 'S'too bad." IZZY "Oh." He was quiet for a beat. "I just need to get this shroud thing. Up north. Then I'll be back around Skyport, I guess. Until I can get the other artifact from the church. Or -- we can get it, I guess." LINA "And then, what, the two of you settle down in a little cottage in the countryside somewhere?" IZZY He shrugged. "He makes me like him, I guess. Or sort of. So I don't die before him. And then we're just ... together," he said softly. "That's all that matters." LINA "You're still gonna want friends and shit after that, though, maybe." IZZY "Yeah," he said quickly. "Yeah." He fidgeted with his glass. "Yeah. I will." LINA Goro settled back into hugging him and didn't say anything else. IZZY After a moment, sounding almost suspicious, Sam asked, "Do you want to sit somewhere more comfortable?" LINA "I mean, it'd be nice." IZZY "We can. I just ... was down here instead of in bed because I didn't want to be alone," he admitted. LINA "Psssshhhpfff," Goro said. "I'll go up there with you. Jeez." IZZY "Pffft." He hunched down again. LINA "Well, come on." Goro tugged his arm to try and make him get up. "I'd dimension step us up there, but I dunno where it is." IZZY "I can fucking walk," he grumbled, putting his glass down, pushing out of the booth and, admittedly, wavering a little. LINA "Yeah, but just 'cause you can don't mean you gotta." Goro didn't push it, though. He followed Sam out of the booth. IZZY Sam squinted like he didn't know what to make of that. He started to shuffle towards the stairs, then hesitated. "Are you sure? You don't ... have anything better to do?" LINA "'Course I'm sure. Listen, buddy, I got plenty of excitement the past couple days." Goro pointed a thumb over his shoulder like Moreau's Island was right behind him. "Lying in bed hugging someone sounds like exactly what I wanna be doing." IZZY He looked suspicious, but said, "All right." He led Goro up a couple floors, keeping a hand on the wall or railing for support every step of the way. His room, luckily, was close to the stairwell, though -- only a couple doors away. Unfortunately, it had a window. Other than that, it was unremarkable and more or less the same as the other rooms in the inn. Sam's lyre sat by the bed, but other than that it might have been uninhabited. He pulled his satchel off over his head to drop it next to the lyre, then gave Goro an uncertain look. LINA Goro sat on the edge of the bed and dragged his boots off, then flopped backwards onto the pillows. IZZY Sam still looked doubtful, but he sat down, too, and started unlacing his boots. They came up to his knees, and he fumbled with the laces; it took a moment. LINA "You know I used to always wear my shoes in bed? Hansel made me stop. But, you know, sometimes you gotta fucking split in the middle of the night. Never know." IZZY "Why'd he make you stop?" LINA "Iuno. He was just like, take your shoes off, we're in bed." Goro shrugged. IZZY Sam frowned. "And you did it?" LINA "Well, I really like cuddling him. Naked. So." IZZY "Oh." Sam became extremely, unnecessarily interested in unlacing his boots. LINA "Like, just him though," Goro added. "I don't like most people seeing me naked." IZZY "Uh. Huh." He fiddled with the laces a bit and finally pulled his boots off. "People get ... weird about it," he offered, unsurely. LINA "Weird about what? Nakedness?" IZZY He shrugged. "Yeah. They make it fucking weird. I don't know. For me, anyway," he mumbled. "They make it weird for me." LINA Goro fidgeted, squirming in place. He shrugged back. "Yeah. Dunno. Dunno. Just... I don't know why I don't like it." IZZY Sam set his boots aside and scooted back on the bed, perpendicular to Goro and leaning back against the wall. "Vulnerability." LINA Goro growled under his breath. "I guess." IZZY He picked at the blankets with one hand. "It's probably why you like it with Hansel. But not other people. It's ... safe. Being vulnerable with just the one person. And that's -- you know. It feels good. Better than not being able to feel vulnerable with anyone." LINA Goro sat with that thought for a moment -- just remembering how good it felt to let Hansel look at him, let Hansel touch him in all the places no one else got to. Then he nodded eagerly. "Yeah. Yeah, I think so." IZZY Sam nodded back and shifted again -- laying back next to Goro, getting more comfortable. LINA Goro rolled onto his side to hug him, watching to make sure it was still okay. IZZY Sam cuddled against him automatically, like it was a relief. He scooted down to rest his head against Goro's chest. LINA Goro started petting his hair again. "Huh. So..." He just kinda stopped there. He was curious about shit, but he didn't wanna make Sam feel weird. IZZY "Mm?" LINA "You and Aziz." IZZY "Yeah." He sounded suspicious. LINA "Yeah. Just... yeah." IZZY Sam was quiet. "Uh-huh." LINA "I ain't trying to be weird, I'm just curious." IZZY "You're being weird," Sam told him bluntly. "You can just ask shit." He sounded kind of uncomfortable, but stayed where he was. LINA "Well, you get grouchy sometimes, when I ask you shit," Goro muttered. IZZY "Yeah, well," he grumbled. "I don't like ... being interrogated. About him." LINA "Oh, I wasn't gonna. I was just wondering..." Goro frowned, shifting position uncomfortably. "Uh, if there's a reason you don't like to... uh, I mean, for a long time, I didn't wanna... do sex with anyone. 'Cause of things." IZZY "Oh. Ehh. Uh. I mean." He dithered for a moment. "There's not, you know. A reason. No one ... hurt me, or anything. I just don't. Really want to. Usually." LINA "Oh," Goro said, relieved. He was hoping that no one had hurt Sam. A beat later he said, "Usually?" IZZY He shrugged and mumbled, "I mean." LINA "It's alright," Goro said quickly. "You don't gotta explain." Damn, though. IZZY Sam made an uncertain sound, then was quiet for a beat. Kind of hesitantly, he said, "I mean, I do sometimes. You wouldn't ..." He considered for another moment. "You wouldn't want to. That's all. If that's ... what you're getting at." LINA "Eh?" Goro said, incredulous. "Why not?" IZZY "Ehhhn." He shifted around some more, not really pulling away from Goro, but pulling in on himself. "Because, look, I don't ... sleep with people I like. Because I don't -- you know, I've never had people like that. I've only ever slept with prostitutes, and it's not exactly a fucking mutually enjoyable experience, right? I don't know what I'm fucking doing," he muttered. "I wouldn't want you to have a bad fucking time. I'm not paying you." LINA "Oh." Goro thought about that for a minute. "I mean, I ain't exactly experienced. Just figured shit out as I go. Everyone's gotta start somewhere, right?" IZZY "Ehhhn," he said again. LINA "I mean, if you don't wanna, you don't wanna. Ain't a big deal." IZZY He was quiet for another moment. "I don't know. Maybe I want to. It's just fucking ... daunting, is all. Maybe it's too much work." LINA "Oh. Well. I mean." Goro tried not to sound too intrigued. He didn't want Sam to feel pressured. "Anyway." IZZY Sam didn't say anything. LINA Goro kissed his hair, just kind of on impulse, then regretted it. He'd just meant it as a friendly thing, but considering the fuckin' subject matter... bah. IZZY Sam tensed, a little, but didn't pull away. LINA "Sorry," Goro said. "I didn't mean nothing." IZZY "Okay," Sam said slowly. After a beat, he added, "I'm ... getting used to ... that. Whole thing. It's fine. It's okay." LINA "What? Affection?" IZZY He shrugged. LINA "I didn't used to do any of it, and now it's like I can't stop. Fuck." IZZY Sam laughed a little, and relaxed. "Yeah. Yeah. I do kind of know what that's like. It's just -- I'm just not used to it with other people." LINA "Yeah? Just Aziz?" IZZY "Yeah." LINA "Good to get some outside your dreams, too." IZZY He nodded and nestled closer to Goro. LINA Goro kept petting his hair. "Hey, d'you like getting squeezed real tight?" IZZY "Uh? I don't know." LINA "Well, I'm not too good at it, but let's try." Goro repositioned his arms and gave Sam the best squeeze he could muster. IZZY Sam huffed out a little breath at the squeeze. "Okay?" he said, sounding puzzled. LINA "Huh. Yeah. I guess some people aren't into it." Goro loosened his hold. "Hansel does it better than me, though." IZZY "Hmm," Sam said suspiciously. He looped his arms around Goro and paused to make sure it was all right. LINA "I love getting squeezed," Goro said hopefully. IZZY Sam squeezed him firmly. LINA "Oh yeah," Goro said, closing his eyes and smiling. "That's the stuff. Oh, you're real fucking good at it." IZZY "Huh." Sam kept squeezing him until he couldn't anymore, letting go with a sigh. LINA "It makes me feel..." Goro paused, not sure if Sam wanted him to explain. IZZY "Safe?" Sam guessed, sounding puzzled. LINA "Nah. I mean, yeah, but. It... it helps me hold still." IZZY "Huh," he said again, thoughtful. "I don't get it. That's good, though. That you've got it, I mean." LINA "I can't stop moving," Goro said, hoping he could make it make sense. "It feels... bad." Nah, maybe not. IZZY "I guess I get like that sometimes," he said slowly. "There's just ..." He trailed off. "Not anyone." LINA "Aw. You should ask Aziz to squeeze you. Or... I could loan you Hansel." IZZY "Uh." LINA "Don't knock it 'til you try it." IZZY "No, I mean ... Uh." He shifted uncomfortably again. "Usually -- you know, no one's around, and it's not like I can get to sleep, like that, so that's, you know. Usually when I hire someone," he mumbled. "I don't think you want to loan me your fiance." LINA "Oh. Oh, buddy. We were having two different conversations." IZZY "Yeeeah." LINA "Hansel is real good in bed, though." IZZY "God." LINA "What?" IZZY "I don't need to know that." LINA "Sorry." IZZY Sam made an mmph sound and got comfortable again. LINA Goro went back to petting his hair. Category:Text Roleplay